DUNCAN KEITH: ‘YOU CAN’T CHASE A DREAM ALONE’
Keith opened his speech by talking about how his mom would take him to practice when he was a young boy before she would head to her 12-hour shift at a nursing home. He got emotional when thanking Trent Yawney, his first coach with the Chicago Blackhawks, and discussed the joy of playing for Chicago during its run of three Stanley Cup championships in six seasons (2009-10, 2012-13, 2014-15).
In fact, he thanked all his coaches, teammates and executives from the Blackhawks and Edmonton Oilers, with whom he played his final NHL season.
But the most heartfelt moment was his closing, when he talked about his son, Colton — a moment so poignant it brought tears to Joe Thornton’s eyes.
“These days, my favorite hockey moments are with my son, Colton, and his teammates back home in Penticton (British Columbia),” he said. “The road trips, the tournaments, the early mornings. Seeing the game through his eyes has reminded me what this sport is really about: joy, connection and being a part of a team that’s bigger than yourself.
“I’m going to sound like an old man here now, but to every kid out there: Work hard, stay humble and remember where there’s a will, there’s a way.
“My dad used to tell me, ‘Play with fire in your eyes.’ And my mom used to say to me before games, ‘Keep eyes in the back of your head.’ So thank you to my parents, to my brother Cam, my sister Rebecca, for always being there for me and for looking after Colton when I couldn’t.
“To my son, Colton. Thank you for making me fall in love with this great game all over again.
“I love you to the fans for letting me live a dream that once belonged to a skinny kid in Fort Frances (Ontario). Hockey has given me more than I ever imagined.
“But the greatest wasn’t the wins or the banners, it was the people, the teammates who became brothers, coaches who believed in me, trainers who kept us healthy, family who stood behind me through the ups and downs, because that’s what this game gives you, people you go to battle with, people who become like family.
“That’s why hockey will always be the ultimate team game. You can’t chase a dream alone, and you don’t lift a cup or wear a gold medal on your own.
“You lift it with everybody that ever lifted you.”
